Shutting up Lieberman

By Michael J.W. Stickings

TPM:

[Joe] Lieberman was giving a ten-minute speech on health care reform. [Al] Franken, who was presiding over the Senate, cut him off when his ten minutes were up. When Lieberman requested unanimous consent for an extra few minutes to finish his speech, Franken, in his capacity as a senator from Minnesota, objected. And, in his capacity as presiding officer, Franken honored the objection.

After a brief moment of tension, Lieberman laughed and said he didn't take it personally, and requested that the rest of his speech be put in the record.

Then [John] McCain took the floor to defend his friend, saying he'd never seen anything like it.

Watch the clip below.

McCain: "I must say that, uh, I don't know what's happening here in this body, but, uh, I think it's wrong..."

Really, Senator McCain? You don't know what's happening? Look, Franken probably should have granted Lieberman an extra minute or two. The perception, after all, is that Franken denied him the extra time simply because he doesn't agree with him (or like him). But, Senator McCain, why don't you take a long, hard look at your own party, which is a party of ideological extremism and procedural obstructionism.

For example, just yesterday, according to The Hill, Jim DeMint, one of your more extremist colleagues, said he's "prepared to use every procedural tool to delay a vote" on the Democratic reform bill. And just two days ago, again according to The Hill, Tom Coburn, another extremist, required a 767-page amendment to be read aloud and in full, a clear waste of time and one of the Republicans' key delaying tactics.

You could argue that giving a senator an extra minute or two is the same as allowing senators to use the tools at their disposal, but if what you're talking about is civility, I'd say the reverse is true. Sure, give Lieberman an extra minute or two, out of respect if nothing else, but then stop your fellow Republicans from being nasty and vindictive in their quest to kill a bill that has the support of a decisive majority of senators (at least 58).

What's happened to your beloved Senate, Senator McCain? The Republican Party happened, your party, the party of DeMint and Coburn and their ilk.

You really want to stick to the stupid rules that govern cloture and filibustering and that allow a single senator to hold the Senate hostage, denying the will of the majority? Then shut up about Lieberman's ten minutes.